Pattern mechanism for knitting machines



June 29 192s. 1,590,292

K. HOWIE ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed April 5, 1922 I5 SheetS-Sheet l 152w??? tors.-

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June 29 1926. 1,590,292

K. HOWIE ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KN ITTING MACHINES Original Filed pril 5, 1922 3 sheets sh et 2 t In uen fora: Kennel]: J'zowz'e, 5

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K. HOWIE ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed pril 5, 1922 3 SheetS She et 5 DUDDUDDDDDDUUDDDDD O0 O0 unnunununnuunnnunm 1720022 202 9: Jfenheiiz Jz/owz'e, Wi Z Z l'am O Patented June 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENNETH HOWIE, OF NORRISTOWN, AND WILLIAM O. TAYLOR, OF LIMERICK, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WILDMAN MFG. (30., OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Original application filed April 3, 1922, Serial 170 549253. Divided and this application filed Iune 2,

- 1923, Serial No. 642,958. Renewed March 6, 1925.

The invention relates to pattern mechanism for controlling the feeds of a knittingnism and a portion of the knitting machine.

Fig. 3- is a vertical sectional View of the pattern mechanism with parts in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a detail view partly in section looking from the right of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view of part of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of thebase ring and rotary take-up ring of the knittin machine- With cams carried by the latter or giving movement to the pattern mechanism and controlling connections.

strip.

In the drawings 1 indicates a part of the head of a knitting machine. This is supported from 'a base ring 2 by frame parts, one of which is shown at 3, the machine being of the type in which the cam ring is fixed and the needle carrier rotates. 4: is the revolving take-up ring or plate, the take-up mechanism being omitted,.as this forms no part of the present invention. The invention is shown in connection with a latch needle machine, though it will be understood that. it is equally applicable to a spring beard needle knitting machine.

There may be any desired number of feeds, for instance, eight. One of the yarn guides is shown at 5, there being one of these guides at each feed and it will be understood that these. feeds are equally spaced about the knitting head. Any one or more of the foods is rendered inoperative by retracting the needle advancing cam at that feed, so that the needles will not be advanced to take Fig. 7 is a view of a part of. the patternnew yarn, and shed their old loops below their latches, and hence no knitting will be done at this inoperative feed and the old loops will not be cast ofl.

If the invention is applied to a spring needle machine the needle controlling means will be the presser cam which when retracted will rend er the needles idle so far as knitting is concerned and the yarn guide will be shiftable so as to raise the yarn out of work and if the pattern mechanism is applied to a rib machine it will operate devices at the various feeds to make said feeds active or inactive in a prescribed order. For instance, connections would lead to the yarn feed fingers, yarn cutters and clamps and to the advancin cams of the cylinder, and the wing Cams 0 the dial and these connections would be controlled by the pattern mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated as an example of the application of the invention,

change it from an idle condition to an active condition'or the reverse, and a part of this connection is shown at 17, 14, 8 and 8 which controls the position, up or down, of a star Wheel 7 operated by a contact device 9 travelling with the needle carrier.

The star wheel 7 in this instance operates connections for controlling the position up or down of the needle advancing cam, and hence this feed is controlled.

We have shown only one set of connections, but thereis one for each feed.

The plates or members 23 are pressed-down by push pins 25 which are acted upon by flexible members 44 extending from the pattern mechanism and consisting of closely coiled wire spirals movable in and guided by tubes 45. The flexible member will accommodate itself to the curve of the guide tube but it provides a substantially longitudinal rigiditycapable of transmitting power imposed thereon. There is one of these flexible rods and its guide tube for each feed and consequently for each pivoted plate 23, and

there'is also one for operating a counter which registers the number of garments or units produced.

The push rods 44 have at their outer ends push pins 25 to rest on the bell crank levers 47 of the pattern mechanism which is located off to one side of the knitting machine. When either one of these bell crank levers is operated, there being one for each flexible rod, its corresponding rod will be operated to depress the proper pivoted plate 23 and this travelling with the oscillating carrier 22 will operate the appropriate set of connections leading to the proper feed.

The bell cranks 47 are operated by rods 48 having hooks 49 to be engaged by slidable pawl arms 50 having hooks 51 to engage the hooks 49. Normally the pawl arms 50 are in elevated position out of engagement with the hooked rods 48 as shown in Fig. 3. The are mounted pivotally on an actuating ro 52 slidably guided in the fixerl fork 53, forming a part of the bracket 46, and they rest upon the heads at the upper ends of feeler fingers orpins 54 slidably mounted in a carrier bar 55 supported by rods 56 slidable vertically of the depending tubular members 57 of the fixed bracket member 46. Thiscarrier bar with its feeler pins -is pressed normally upward by a spring 58, Fig. 1, hereinafter mentioned.

The feeler pins or fingers are adapted, when permitted to do so, to pass down through openings in a fixed plate 60 Figs. 3, 4 and 5, of segmental form. They are lowered as a series by an arm 61 engaging a recess 62 in the carrier bar 55, and connected to a swinging frame 63 pivoted at 64 to the fixed bracket 46 and oscillated by an arm 65, Fig. 1 forming a part of the swinging frame, which arm is operated by a vertical rod 66,.from a lever 67 pivoted in a bearing 68 on the fixed base ring 2. The pivot for this lever 67 consists of a shaft mounted in the bearing 68 and having an arm 69, Fig. 2, provided with a roller 70 to be engaged by a cam rib or'plate 71 mounted by arms 72 on the rotary take up ring.

A spring 58 presses upwardly against a tail extension 73 of the lever 69 and through the connections just described keeps the carrier 55 of the feeler fingers 54 elevated. But when the cam rib 71, Figs. 1 and 6 of the rotary take up plate works under the roller 70, the carrier 55 with the feeler fingers are lowered and some or all of them will pass through the jacquard member according to the disposition of holes therein. This jacquard member consists of a sheet of suitable material such as heavy strong papers 9 passing over the discs 74 having teeth 75 en aging marginal perforation in the endless acquard member. The discs 74,

' Fig. 5 are joined together by a coupling 74 secured to their hollow hubs 74 and constitute a drum mounted rotatably upon a pin 74 fixed in the bracket 46.

end 74 engaging a pin on a depending arm 60 of said platform.

This jacquard drum is turned step by step to feed the jacquard member as will be hereinafter described. The jacquard member passes over the perforated segmental fixed plate 60 and if an opening or openings. in the jacquard sheet registers with an opening in the segmental fixed plate the corresponding feeler pin or finger, when lowered by the carrier bar 55, will go down through the registered openings and consequent y the corresponding pawl arm 50, which is resting on this pin, will fall into alignment with the hook of rod 48 and then as the pawl arm 50 slides back (as hereinafter mentioned) it will pull upon the hooked rod 48, rock the corresponding bell crank 47, elevate its push pin 25 and through the spring rod 44 in the tube 45 the appropriate push pin 25 will be thrust down and the corresponding pawl plate 23 will be lowered to control the corresponding set of connections leading to one of the feeds.

The backward movement of the pawl arms 50 takes place altogether and for doing this the actuating bar 52 is slid in its guideways by links 76 connected with the upstanding arms 63 of the rocking frame 63. This backward sliding movement takes place simultaneously with the depression of the feeler carrier bar 55, both move ments being derived from the same connections i. e. rocking frame 63, arm 65 thereof and the connections back to the roller 70. The feeler carrier bar islowered by the arm 61 attached to the rocking frame 63 as before described. Some lost motion of the pawl arms 50 takes place, however, before they operate the hooked rods 48 because the hooks of these pawl arms are somewhat in advance of the hooks of the rods 48, as shown in Fig. 3.

If, however, any feeler finger or pin 54 strikes an imperforate part of the jacquard member which covers the hole in the segmental platform 60, it will be arrested while the carrier bar 55 continues its downward stroke and this arrested feeler finger will hold up its particulanpawl bar 50 which is resting thereon so that it will not engage the hooked rod 48 as it travels rearward and consequently it will perform an idle sliding movement when the actuating rod 52 moves back, and the train of connections individual to this pawl arm and feeler finger, leading to the pawl plate 23 will not be operated and thus this pawl plate will remain elevated and will not operate its set of feed controlling connections when the movement of the oscillating plate 22 takes place.

For turning the jacquard drum a ratchet 77 is employed connected with the drum and engaged by a pawl 78 pivoted at 7 9 to an arm 79 pivoted at 80 to the bracket 46. This depending arm has an adjustable sto screw 81 to bear against the bracket 46. T e arm 79 above its pivot is borne upon by a horizontal rod 81 pivoted at 82, Figs. 1 and 2 to the bracket 46 and operated by a pin 83 on an arm 84 clamped by a screw 85 to the vertical rock shaft 40, Fig. 2. The lever 79 bears upon a spring pin 86 working in the bracket. When the rock shaft 40 is turned in the arrow direction Fig. 2 to give the member 22 a movement in the direction of the arrow it, through rods 36, for transmitting motion through any one of the plates 23, that the pattern calls for, the parts just described will be operated to advance the pawl 78 to engage a fresh tooth of the jacquard drum ratchet. This stroke of the pawl 78 will be its idle one, the jacquard drum not. being turned on this movement, as it should not be, owing to the fact that the feeler fingers have been lowered and one or more of them has passed through the hole or holes in the jacquard sheet, but on the reverse movement of the rock shaft 40 the spring pin 86 will operate the lever 79 and the pawl 78 will be given its movement to turn the ratchet and the jacquard member one step, the feeler pins all being raised at this time.

The rock shaft 40 is operated by an arm 41 extending under the rotary take-up ring to be contacted by a cam 42 held by posts 43 to the underside of said take-up ring.

Fig. 7 shows a part of the paper band or strip with its perforations for controlling the pattern mechanism. This strip after being punched with the proper openings has its ends united to form an endless band which is hung on the toothed disc 74. It can be inserted from the left of Figs. 4 and 5, the bracket 74 being of such form as will offer no obstruction to the insertion of the band.

We claim: a

1. Pattern mechanism for knitting machine comprising an endless perforated pattern band, means for moving the same, a fixed platen over which it passes, pins to pass through the perforations in the band and into an open part of the platen, said pins" when obstructed by the imperforate part of the band remaining up, a reciprocating carrier for the pins in which they are slidably mounted, pawl arms resting on the pins, means for reciprocating the pawl arms,

rods with which said pawl arms couple when lowered and which are operated by the movement of the pawl arms, and connections operated by the rods for controlling the knitting, substantially as described.

2. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, an endless perforated pattern band, a platen over which the band passes and having an opening or openings,

rotary means for driving the band havlng teeth engaging openings therein, means for holding said platen against rotation, a series ofpins to pass through the perforations in the band and into the opening or openings in the platen, a reciprocating carrier for the pins in which they are slidably mounted and means controlled by the pins for shifting knitting devices at the various feeds of the knitting machine, substantially as described.

3. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, an endless perforated pattern band, a fixed platen over which the band passes and having an opening or openings, rotary means for driving the band having teeth engaging openings therein, means for holding the platen against rotation, a series of pins to pass through the perforations in the band and into the opening or openings in the platen, a reciprocating carrier for the pins in which they are slidably mounted, and means controlled by the pins for shifting knitting devices at the various feeds of the knitting machine, the said rotary, means for drivingthe band consisting of a shaft and a toothed disc at each end thereof, the said platen being hung on the said shaft, substantially as described.

4. In combination. in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, a series of pawl arms, a series of pins upon which the said pawl arms rest, a carrier therefor, a pattern band having perforations to receive the pins, a rocking lever with connections for reciprocating the pawl arms and the pin carrier,

and hooked rods to be engaged by the pawl arms in their low positions, with connections leading from said hooked rods to the parts to be controlled, substantially as described.

5. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, a plurality of reciprocatory pawls pivotally mounted to have up and down movement as well as reciprocating movement, a pin carrier having pins upon which the pawls rest, a rocking lever connected with the pin carrier, and having connections with the series of pawls to reciprocate the same, pattern means having perforations to receive the pins, means operated by the reciprocatory pawls when in their lowered position, a rod for operating the rocking lever, and means for operating the said rod from a cam on the rotary plate of the knitting machine, substantially as described.

6. In combination a serles of hooked rods,

for the rotary carrier, pins to pass through the openings in the band and platen, a bar movable to and from the pattern band and carrying the pins to that they may remain stationary when they strike an imperforate part of the band or pass therethrough when the openings therein register with the platen openings, bars resting on the pins to be raised or lowered therewith, means for operating the said bars and means operated by the bars for controlling the pattern of the product, substantially as described.

8. In combination a perforated pattern band, rotary carrier means therefor, a fixed platen overwhich the band passes, having openings with which the openings in the pattern band register, pawl and ratchet means for the rotary carrier, pins to pass through the openings in the band and platen, a bar movable to and from the pattern band and carrying the pins so that they may remain stationary when they strike an imporforate part ofthe band or pass therethrough when the openings therein register with the platen openings, bars resting on the pins to be raised or lowered therewith, means for operating the said bars and means operated by the bars for controlling the pattern of the product, and means operated from the rotary take-up plate of the knitting machine for operatingthe pawl and ratchet and for operating the pin carrying bar up-and down, substantially as described.

9. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, a pattern band having perforations, means for moving the band, a pin carrier having pins slidably mounted therein, said pins partaking of the movement of the carrier when openings in the band are brought to register therewith, but being arrested while the carrier completes its movement when an imperforate part of the band registers therewith, a plurality of connections extending to the various knitting devices and means for controlling the operation of said connect-ions bv the pins, said connections comprising flexible push rods with means for guiding the same, substantially as described.-

10. In combination, means for feeding a perforated pattern band, a series of pins, a

carrier therefor to move the pins to and from the pattern band, said pins being slidably mounted in the carrier, a series of bars resting on the pins, means for reciprocatlng said bars substantially horizontally and connections engaged by the bars when lowered by the pins entering the openings in the band, said connections controlling the knitting, substantially as described.

11. In combination, means for feeding a perforated pattern band, a series of pins, a carrler to move the pins to and from the pattern band, said pins being slidably mounted in the carrier, a series of bars resting on the pins, connections operated by the bars, for controlling the knitting, when in lowered position, consequent upon the pins entering the openings in the band, and means for moving the bars substantially horizontally for operating'said connections, substantially as described.

12. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, an endless perforated pattern band, rotary carrier means for the band, supported at one end, leaving the other end free for the placing or removal of the endless band, a perforated platen supported in stationary position and over. which the band passes, pins withmeans for moving them to and from the pattern band to pass through the openings thereof or to be arrested by imperforate portions of the band, bars resting on the pins, means for reciprocating the bars and means operated by the bars for changing the pattern of the product, substantially as described.

13. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, an endless pattern band having perforations and imperforate portions to receive controlling pins, carrier means for the band su ported at one end, leaving the other end fine for the removal or placing of the band, pins to enter the perforations or to be arrested by-imperforate portions of the band, means for moving the pins to and from the band, bars resting on the pins to be raised or lowered corresponding to the positions of said pins, means for reciprocating the bars, and means operated by the bar for controlling the pattern of the fabric, substantially as described.

14. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, an endless pattern band having pattern perforations and feed openings, a carrier therefor consisting of spaced apart discs having teeth for en aging the feed openings in the ban a shaft upon which said discs are supported, means for supporting the shaft at one end of the carrier, leaving the other end of the carrier free for the placing ortionary, pins to enter the perforations of the band or to be arrested by imperforate portions of the hand, means for moving the pins to and from the hand, hars resting on the pins to raise or lower with the pins, means for reciprocating the bars, and means operated by the bars for controlling the pattern of the fabric.

15. In combination in pattern mechanism for knitting machines, a pattern sheet having feed openings and pattern perforations,

a carrier therefor for-moving the sheet step.

by step, pins to pass through the perforations of the band or to be arrested by the moving the pins to and from the band, bars resting on the pins to he raised or lowered according as their respective pins assume their upper or lower positions, and means reciprocating bars and connections In testimony tures,

operated by the bars. whereof, we affix our signa- KENNETH HOWIE. WILLIAM o. TAYLOR.

imperforate portions thereof, means for l horizontally for operating the 2 

